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snowbenton's review against another edition
4.0
A really fun, if a bit slow, read. I loved the development of Bonnie from a quiet, moralistic girl to a speakeasy waitress to the lover of a fugitive. I was a little disappointed we didn't get more of her more well-known stories, but her character growth and her friends and family were handled expertly.
mgerwicm's review against another edition
2.0
Straying too far from history...
As a lover of historical fiction, I always view a new historical fiction novel as a chance to delve into a usually unknown side of history. Along with seeing the author's view of historical characters, I take reading novels like this as an opportunity to do my own research. Understanding that author's usually choose to, and even have to, take some creative license with the characters using the facts and sources that are available to them, I like to check which aspects are historically correct and which have been embellished a bit.
You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that the author here pretty much took a bunch of historical names, threw them into a blender, and pressed the pulse button repeatedly. So many of the character relationships and backstories were not just embellished, but actually invented DESPITE historically evidence directly disputing the author's interpretation. So while I appreciate an author's license to be creative and create unique, compelling characters, I am offended by the promotional attempt to present this novel as some kind of insight into how Bonnelyn Parker became part of the infamous Bonie and Clyde. Every part of the story that added to any meaningful character motivation was blatantly false and falls back on tired literary tropes, rather than attempting to flesh out the "real" Bonnie.
Overall, this wasn't a bad novel, but it is trading on a famous name when the titular character could have easily been replaced with someone fictional and very few people would have been able to even make a connection with the historical figure of Bonnelyn Parker based on, well, you know, history. I guess I prefer a few more facts in my HISTORICAL fiction.
As a lover of historical fiction, I always view a new historical fiction novel as a chance to delve into a usually unknown side of history. Along with seeing the author's view of historical characters, I take reading novels like this as an opportunity to do my own research. Understanding that author's usually choose to, and even have to, take some creative license with the characters using the facts and sources that are available to them, I like to check which aspects are historically correct and which have been embellished a bit.
You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that the author here pretty much took a bunch of historical names, threw them into a blender, and pressed the pulse button repeatedly. So many of the character relationships and backstories were not just embellished, but actually invented DESPITE historically evidence directly disputing the author's interpretation. So while I appreciate an author's license to be creative and create unique, compelling characters, I am offended by the promotional attempt to present this novel as some kind of insight into how Bonnelyn Parker became part of the infamous Bonie and Clyde. Every part of the story that added to any meaningful character motivation was blatantly false and falls back on tired literary tropes, rather than attempting to flesh out the "real" Bonnie.
Overall, this wasn't a bad novel, but it is trading on a famous name when the titular character could have easily been replaced with someone fictional and very few people would have been able to even make a connection with the historical figure of Bonnelyn Parker based on, well, you know, history. I guess I prefer a few more facts in my HISTORICAL fiction.
lizpetretti's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mdargusch's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this on Audible and the narrator did an excellent job portraying the different characters and their southern accents. This is a fictional account of Bonnie from Bonnie and Clyde fame and what her teen years could’ve been like before she paired up with Clyde. It’s a good look at the struggles of the poorer families in the south right before the stock market crash and what they might have done to survive. It’s a fun look at teens, romance, and morality issues they faced.
raebooknerd's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mishale1's review against another edition
4.0
Incredibly entertaining origin story for Bonnie of Bonnie and Clyde.
In this story, Bonnie is an innocent, church going teenager with a loving family, long term boyfriend and fiesty best friend Blanch.
Bonnie is from a loving family but a poor one. She has big dreams. She wants to be a teacher. She wants an income. She wants to get married. Possibly to her childhood love Roy.
Then one day, Blanch hauls Bonnie to a “juice joint”. Shortly afterwards, Bonnie finds herself in need of money badly. She is the only one who can support her family at the moment and she’s barely getting by as a part time waitress.
She takes a job at Doc’s, serving drinks. She tries to justify it to herself. She feels like she’s doing wrong but for the right reasons. She feels like others are doing much worse.
But it doesn’t take long before Bonnie stops tolerating her job and starts enjoying it. She likes the environment at Doc’s. Sure, the idea of selling drinks during Prohibition feels wrong to her but she’s not hurting anyone. And she’s doing a lot of good supporting her family.
Her relationship with Roy starts to change.
She also starts second guessing whether she should stay in school.
Clyde and Bonnie’s official meeting is late in this book. That’s ok with me. This is a book about Bonnie. About who Bonnie was before Clyde. It’s about the ways that Bonnie changed that ultimately allowed her to begin a relationship with Clyde.
Very well written. I thought the way the dialogue was written was well done. It really allows the reader to picture Bonnie.
I’ve got an ARC of the next book in this series in my hands already. I’m glad! I think once you read this book you’ll be itching to read the next.
In this story, Bonnie is an innocent, church going teenager with a loving family, long term boyfriend and fiesty best friend Blanch.
Bonnie is from a loving family but a poor one. She has big dreams. She wants to be a teacher. She wants an income. She wants to get married. Possibly to her childhood love Roy.
Then one day, Blanch hauls Bonnie to a “juice joint”. Shortly afterwards, Bonnie finds herself in need of money badly. She is the only one who can support her family at the moment and she’s barely getting by as a part time waitress.
She takes a job at Doc’s, serving drinks. She tries to justify it to herself. She feels like she’s doing wrong but for the right reasons. She feels like others are doing much worse.
But it doesn’t take long before Bonnie stops tolerating her job and starts enjoying it. She likes the environment at Doc’s. Sure, the idea of selling drinks during Prohibition feels wrong to her but she’s not hurting anyone. And she’s doing a lot of good supporting her family.
Her relationship with Roy starts to change.
She also starts second guessing whether she should stay in school.
Clyde and Bonnie’s official meeting is late in this book. That’s ok with me. This is a book about Bonnie. About who Bonnie was before Clyde. It’s about the ways that Bonnie changed that ultimately allowed her to begin a relationship with Clyde.
Very well written. I thought the way the dialogue was written was well done. It really allows the reader to picture Bonnie.
I’ve got an ARC of the next book in this series in my hands already. I’m glad! I think once you read this book you’ll be itching to read the next.
bibigomez's review
4.0
This is such an underrated gem & I can’t believe no one’s talked about it. I found it through Goodreads & ugh 🥺 it was historical fiction mixed with romance but was a fast paced story. It did have some dips in the storyline where a lot was happening but also nothing was happening? Nonetheless a definite read!
tvisser's review against another edition
3.0
Read for book club - I would actually give 3.5 stars. It was a fun listen and gave a glimpse of what Bonnie might have been like before she met Clyde.
chubeunicorn's review against another edition
2.0
I may be in the minority on this one, but I just did not care for this story. It could be because I listened to the audiobook and the narrators attempts at different voicing was just not done well. At the end of it though I think I really struggled the most with trying to rectify the pious Bonnie outlined in the majority of the book with the events that "pushed her" to outlaw status. For me, it just didn't jive with the historical Bonnie Parker that we are familiar with and I just didn't enjoy the leap.
That said, perhaps if I had read the book instead of listening I would feel differently, but for the version I listened to I am unsatisfied.
That said, perhaps if I had read the book instead of listening I would feel differently, but for the version I listened to I am unsatisfied.